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UPDATE #3
Getting Credentials to attend the Americas PrepCom 1. If your organization has ECOSOC status, you need to fax a letter on your
organization letterhead to:Ms. Catherine Bremont
Office of the High Commission for Human Rights
Room PW 1-051
Palais des Nations
8-14 avenue de la Paix
CH-1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
The
letter should include a list of the people that will be attend the Americas PrepCom, it should request that they be credentialed for that purpose and it needs to be signed by the appropriate person in the
organization. The letter should state that the organization has consultative status with ECOSOC and be faxed to Ms. Bremont at: +41 22 917-9011 2. If your organization does not have ECOSOC status,
you need to apply for accreditation for the World Conference and its preparatory processes. That application (which I have described elsewhere, but can be found on the US NGO website www.ngoworldconference.org/accreditation.htm
) needs to be received in Geneva by 3 October if you want to attend the Americas PrepCom in Chile. Once your organization is accredited, you can send a similar letter to Ms. Catherine Bremont as described above, but you would indicate that your organization has been accredited to participate in the World Conference.
Financial Support for NGOs Wanting to Attend the Americas PrepCom The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has secured funding to subsidize the participation of 80-100 NGOs in
the Regional Preparatory meetings. For each region, one NGO has been asked to take charge of the logistical arrangements for NGOs for that meeting, and to establish a steering committee for the region
(approximately 8-10 organizations, representing all geographic sub-regions and relevant social sectors, e.g., minorities, indigenous, women, youth). The regional steering committees are presently establishing criteria
for selecting the NGOs to be subsidized in their region. They will then select the NGOs that will receive financial assistance on the basis of these criteria. Obviously through, funds are very limited when you
consider all the countries in South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbean. NGOs wishing to attend the Regional Preparatory meetings and are in need of financial assistance should write to the
following person and organization: Ms. Ines Reichel
Instituto Inter-Americano de Derechos Humanos (IIDH)
ireichel@iidh.ed.cr
011 506 234-0955 faxSubmitting Written Statements for the Americas PrepCom Meeting
Given the rules that were passed at the first PrepCom in Geneva, written statements (known as interventions) must be submitted 10 weeks prior to the event (in this case the Americas PrepCom). That means that
written interventions (with the limit of 1,500 words for NGOs, except those with "general" consultative status that may submit up to 2,000 words) are due in Geneva by 25 September. They may still accept
written interventions that are received by the end of the week. The written statement should be faxed and e-mailed to: Mr. Robert Husbands
Secretariat for the World Conference Against Racism
UNOG-OHCHR
Palais Wilson
CH-1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
011 41 22 917-9050 fax rhusbands.hchr@unog.ch
(the UN server has been down lately, so don't be alarmed if your e-mail bounces back. Just make sure you fax it also)The letter
should be on organizational letterhead and you need to indicate that you either have ECOSOC status or have already been accredited. You need to say that the written statement is for submission for the Americas
PrepCom in Santiago, Chile. NGO Forum Planning Meeting for the Americas The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is also supporting four regional meetings where NGOs will be able
to plan their input into the NGO Forum to take place in South Africa and run parallel to the World Conference. The NGO Planning Meeting for the Americas will take place in Quito, Ecuador and the tentative dates
are 13-17 February 2001. It is very important for U.S. NGOs to participate in this meeting because recommendations will be made in terms of the kinds of presentations, workshops, panels, etc. that are priorities
for the Americas region. If your NGO wishes to participate in this regional NGO meeting, please contact Agencia Latinoamericana de Informacion (ALAI) and describe (in a few paragraphs) your NGO and its involvement in
the struggle against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia or related intolerance; why it is important that a representative of your organization attend the NGO consultation; and the contribution they expect to
make. This should be sent (preferably via e-mail or fax) to: Ms. Irene Leon
Agencia Latinoamericana de Informacion (ALAI)
C.P. 17-12-877
Quito
ECUADOR
011 593 2 505-074 phone
011 593 2 505-073 fax
ddhh@alainet.org |
